A player on the Corpus Christi Hooks, a minor league baseball team in Texas, is nursing a nasty bruise after suffering a serious blow to the face.
On Friday, DeLino DeShields, Jr. was struck on the right side of his face with a fastball traveling 90 miles per hour, fracturing his cheek.
But he insists he will be back on the field soon.
“I can go right now,” said DeShields.
The 21-year-old center fielder was up at bat against the Frisco RoughRiders, when he got hit with the fastball.
“The pitch that hit me got on me kind of quick, and next thing you know I was on the ground,” he added.
He says he didn’t feel pain, just swelling. He eventually got up and walked off the field on his own.
“I am a very strong individual. I have a football mindset. That is what got me to walk off the field yesterday,” said DeShields, who was a 2010 first round pick for the Houston Astros, and is the son of former major leaguer Delino DeShields.
“He is quite a young man. He is quite an individual,” said Keith Bodie, manager of the Corpus Christi Hooks.
DeShields even had a message for the pitcher that hit him with the ball.
"I said 'tell the pitcher I am good, no hard feelings.' I know it just kind of got away from him. And just tell him i am all right,” DeShields said.
DeShields isn't planning to stay off the field for too long. He says he has no fear of facing a pitcher again.
“Whatever it takes to get me back on the field I will be ready to go,” he said.
“Knowing DeLino he is going to be ready shortly this is not a 6 to 8 week deal,” Bodie added.
To anyone that is concerned as you can see I'm doing fantastic! Blessed to see another day! Always smiling �� lol pic.twitter.com/C5koD0Z5t9
— Delino DeShields (@LinoDeShields) April 19, 2014 Photo Credit: Delino DeShields, Jr. Twitter page